The Lone Warriors
by micayer
Summary: Just a little something...i dont own the Warriors series. The Erin Hunter people do. *sigh*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Missing...

*huff, puff* "Where am I?" said Rainpaw.  
*pant* "I d-don't know... I can only smell the smoke and burnt fur," panted Mosspaw  
"Where is everybody? I can't see through all this smoke!" yowled Rainpaw ducking her head lower to avoid the smoke.  
"We're over here Rainpaw! This way!" screeched Mosspaw hoarsely.  
"R-Rainpaw? She's here too?" (Hawkpaw)  
Rainpaw stopped suddenly and swiveled her ears towards the sound. Slowly she came up to them. Mosspaw pawed at Rainpaw's ears and pushed her towards the wet bushes she and Hawkpaw were hiding in.  
*cough, cough. Weez, weez* Rainpaw suddenly drops to the floor in a coughing fit.  
Hawkpaw looks down at her, worried.  
"Do something Hawkpaw!" Mosspaw bawled.  
"I...what can I do? Let's get her to a clearing! She needs fresh air."  
"Right!" Mosspaw grabbed Rainpaw by the nape and pulled her further from the fire using all the strength her still developing muscles could muster. Rainpaw hung limply, though you could tell that she was still alive by the feint rise and fall of her flank. After dropping her in a clearing Mosspaw dashed off, and finding a puddle, collected some water in a leaf for Rainpaw "Here drink this sweetie!" She pressed the leaf to Rainpaw's dry muzzle. Rainpaw's ears flicked then she spluttered eyes wide with fear as she recalled what was happening around her. "Where is the clan?! I remember seeing them flee, but i wasn't able to catch up..."whispered Rainpaw softly. Mosspaw looked knowingly at Hawkpaw and uttered a soft groan. "Sweetie, their gone they fled over the river and towards River Clan. The rest are dead." Hawkpaw shivered and turned to look at the pillars of smoke rising into the sky. Rainpaw stared wide eyed at the forest in front of her blankly. "How many do you think survived?" Hawkpaw mumbled. "I didn't see many. I think I heard the screams of the kits and queens while the rest fled, they were hopelessly trapped." Mosspaw started to shake and yowl in grief. Slowly getting up, Rainpaw started padding back into the burning forest that was now starting to be dowsed with water by two-legs. Mosspaw ran after her, her heart crying out hoping that at least one kit had survived the horrid flames enveloping the nursery. "Come Hawkpaw there may be injured!" she cried. "N-No, we can't go back in there! What are you doing?!"  
"Coward! Think of the innocent youngsters that couldn't run on their little legs!"  
"We are going whether its with or without you Hawkpaw!," snarled Rainpaw. "There might be survivors and i'm not going to let them die...! Even if i lose my life, i will find them and then my clan!" The two dashed into the choking smoke bravely. Hawkpaw rose to follow, but hesitated. "But...wait! Mosspaw! Rainpaw...ugh..." After another pause, he leapt into the burning brush after them.

(Scene changes to the three cats pushing their way into what used to be Thunderclan camp)  
Rainpaw ran into the camps clearing and for the first time saw the destruction the fire had caused. She then nosed around and headed for the nursery. Mosspaw ran after her friend, shuddering to imagine what scene would await them.  
"Go check the other dens; I'll look in the nursery here.' Rainpaw bossed as she pawed through the rubble. "Right!" Mosspaw ran down the narrow corridor. "What should I do!?" squeaked Hawkpaw as he struggled to catch up to his friends. He received no reply.

Rainpaw heard a faint mew from inside the den. She swiveled her ears to see if she heard right, there it was again. Quickly and carefully she nudged the rubble aside; inside was a tiny black kit. Rainpaw called to the others then picked it up by the scruff.  
"Hawkpaw! Go see if there are any herbs left to help the burns on this poor kit," mumbled Rainpaw through the kit in her mouth. Hawkpaw quickly followed her orders. Rainpaw rasped her tongue over the small black bundle. The trembling kitten mewed weakly. It opened its giant amber eyes and looked up at Rainpaw with gratitude and pain. She looked down on it sadly and curled up next to it so it would stay warm.  
As for Mosspaw, she bolted down the secondary dens ignoring the gruesome sights and rushing towards the escape tunnel. Something she saw along the way caught her eye, however. A mound of collapsed rubble from the ceiling had a orange tail limply laying across the top of it. She started digging at the deep mound to find a muscular, young tom with an orange coat unconscious and burned. She held tightly onto his neck and dragged him out of the nursery. Finally getting him into the sunlight she called out to Hawkpaw and Rainpaw for help. The handsome tom was wheezing and burned; one of his eyes was bleeding profusely from a sharp piece of smoldering wood. Rainpaw yowled over, "What did you find?! There was a kit in the nursery! I'm tending to him right now, otherwise i would help you!" Mosspaw looked up from the tom, whom she had been attempting to clean up and comfort. "Its Amberbranch the deputies son!"  
Rainpaw's ears shot up and turned towards Mosspaw, "Did you say the deputies son?! Amberbranch!" Rainpaw picked up the kit and raced over to Amberbranch and Mosspaw. "He's badly hurt... He must have been trying to rescue the kits earlier..."  
Rainpaw set down the kit and nudged Amberbranche's head up to look at the eye. "Mosspaw, i'll get Hawkpaw, you stay here with Amberbranch. With the kit in her mouth, she trotted over to what used to be the medicine den…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

After Amberbranch, Rainpaw, Mosspaw, Hawkpaw and Coalkit recovered, they traveled on and made their way, away from the ruined camp. They had to take several stops and rests because of the recent trauma and injuries they sustained. They came acrossed something that might be useful for storing herbs in. They decided to keep it. Occasionally they would come across a safe area for sleeping or resting. They hated when they had to go for a few days without hunting or a decent deal of sleep. However they pushed on and their sacrifices finally payed off when they came upon a clearing with a small creek running through it. Rainpaw eyed everyone to stay back while she checked to see if it was clear. As she poked her head out, there was a small rustle. Her head whipped towards the sound and she shied back, expecting another animal. But out popped a fat juicy mouse instead! Luckily she was downwind of it, so it hadn't smelled her yet. She took this opportunity to crouch forward. She pounced and when she looked up, it dangled from her mouth. She took it to the others and nodded her approval of the area, "I didn't really check it out. But the meat is great! I'm sure theres lots more out there, lets go check it out." Coalkit raced out and danced around in the grass. Hawkpaw and Mosspaw took turns leaping about and catching prey, piling them up as they did. Amberbranch sat and tended to his eye. Meanwhile, Rainpaw went to the creek and bent her head down for a long drink. When she opened her eyes, she saw the reflection of cats, and thinking they were from her party started to chat, "Aren't you glad we found such a great place like this?!" She cocked her head when there was no reply. After a moment she looked up and came face to face with a pair of strange cats. Rainpaw's ears and tail dropped as she started to back away, hissing. The others noticed and took into defensive positions themselves. The two strange cats, Dapple and Smoke, were startled to notice that there were strangers in the area. Smoke's fur went up and Dapple was somewhat happily surprised that there were strangers in the area, and hoped to make friends with them or atleast get to know them. Running her tail over Smoke to calm her, she quietly said, "Calm down, at least they haven't attacked us yet"  
Smoke the more wary, replied, "Still who knows if they mean us harm. Look they look ready for combat!"  
Dapple: "Just let me have a chance please Smokey?"Smokey her favorite nickname for him  
Smoke: "Fine, but if I even _think_ they are thinking of attacking, I will attack."  
Dapple said teasingly, "You are too suspicious of everyone!"  
Dapple took a couple of steps forward. Then said, "Hello! I'm Dapple and this is Smoke, are you lost? Or just passing through? Oh by the way! we don't mean you any harm, even through Smoke there looks like he's ready for a fight, he's just suspicious of any strangers! It's nothing personal!" "Smoke why don't you say 'hi' instead of scaring them! :)" Smoke glare at Dapple for a few seconds then gave a muttered, "llo what're you doing?"  
Unsure of this somewhat cheery sullen greeting they just stared, until Coalkit bounced up and said, "Hello! Are you from a clan? You two look alot alike! Are you twins? I'm Coalkit!"  
Dapple, pleased that she managed to avoid a fight purred and said, "Yes, we do look quite a bit alike don't we? We aren't exactly twins:) What's a clan Coalkit?"  
Started the clan cats paused, then Amberbranch stepped forward and dipped his head in greeting to each, "Hello Smoke, Dapple, I am AmberBranch. This is Rainpaw, Mosspaw, Hawkpaw and you already met Coalkit." As he said each clan cats, name he gestured to them with his tail. "Well clans are what we were part of. Each clan has a leader then a deputy. After that are the warriors, who are able to train others and help with the major battles. They would also include queens, who are to-be mothers, apprentices, who are in training to become warriors, and medicine cats, and-" Rainpaw cut him off with a wap of her tail to his face. He looked at her angrily, but she turned away, towards Dapple and Smoke. "Is this your territory?"Dapple responded, "No, we just wander around. We don't really have any territory:)"  
"We are just passing through anyways. We don't want to cause any trouble" She looked to Smoke with wary eyes.  
Dapple replied, "You guys are fine! No worries. Smoke is just a little prickly :) Just teasing Smoke! Do you guys need help? Where are you headed?, we know this area well, but there is another cat who know the whooole area_ a lot _better than we do!"  
"More cats!CoalKit jumped up and down happily. He ran towards Amberbranch, but ended up tripping and tumbling. He ended up running into Smoke...  
Smoke backed up and hissed in surprise managing to suppress swiping at the kit.  
Hawkpaw raised his ears and warily walked up, leading Coalkit away. Rainpaw licked the top of Coalkit's head and told him to stay with Hawkpaw for a while.  
Dapple ran forwards and quickly apologized. Sorry! your kit. uuh coalkit just surprised him! We're sorry! anyways about the cat i was telling you about. Her name is IceTiger. She is really wary of strangers and can be very hard to get along with, but if you get to know her she is nicer." It was Mosspaws turn to step forward, "I know that name. Where have I heard of her before?"  
"You've heard of IceTiger?!" exclaimed Smoke. Where have you met The Ice Tiger?! Mosspaw hissed, the fir on her nape standing up, "That cat...I dislike. Doesn't matter where I have met her, for she no longer belongs there." Amberbranch could see the anguish and disgust in her eyes. She was quite terrible at controlling her temper, and released it with a loud yowl. She charged towards the unsuspecting cat, Dapple. Dapple with sheathed claws, whapped Mosspaw in surprise. Rainpaw yowled her protest and charged after Mosspaw, but instead of hitting her, she tumbled over someone else. Smoke, trying to save Dapple, got ran into by Rainpaw. Surprised Smoke swiped at Rainpaw. Rainpaw hissed as Smoke's claws connected with her nose, scattering scarlet drops across the ground. Amberbranch surprised at the attacks charged all of them and tried to separate Smoke and Rainpaw. Rainpaw and Smoke were all teeth and claws, inseparable even by the strongest of forces. Somehow they all tangled together and caused a HUGE ruckus. Wandering by was Rosy...


End file.
